Where Have You Been All My Life?
by Dally's Stalker
Summary: Ann looses everything and then meets our favorite gang. Will Ann begin a new and improved life, or will it be even worse than her old life? R&R! [COMPLETE!]
1. Disaster and Friendly Faces

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Hi there! This is my first Outsiders fanfiction! Yay! Well, here it is!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own it... blah blah blah.

Disaster and Friendly Faces

Ann Mele(AN: pernounced Meal-lee) had an okay life, good enough for her, anyway. She was 15 and lived in Tulsa. She was a greaser girl. She got treated like crap alot, but she figured it was better than getting killed. Ann basically kept to herself. She didn't go out much, because she had nowhere to go. Her daily rutine was: get up, go to school, come home, go to sleep. There wasn't much action in between. Ann was a nobody. No one noticed her, few people bothered her. She didn't mind, though. All the trouble she ever really had was from her parents. The beat her and screamed at her and threatened her, but she tried to ignore them. The only time Ann didn't mind being around her parents was at meal times. Too much food in there mouths for them to complain about Ann and the way she did or didn't do things. Ann's parents weren't always that way. They were kind and loving when she was younger. If they had always been so whiny and annoying and angry, Ann would have sufficated herself in the wholm.

On Friday, Ann came home from school to find cop cars and fire trucks outside her house. Her burning house. Ann began to panic. She started running toward her house. A police officer grabbed her before she could make it to the front lawn.

"You can't go in there! Are ya crazy? It's burning down," That officer told Ann. She didn't care.

"That's my house, so fuck off! I need to find my parents!" Ann said urgently, trying to break out of the officer's grasp on her.

"I'm sorry miss, but your parents didn't get out yet," the officer informed her. "They won't make it out, no matter what. There are too many flames, and the firemen can't put them out."

Ann just stood there in shock, her face pale and tear-stained. Her parents hadn't been very kind to her, but she still loved them. Her dad was a drunk and both her parents smoked rapidly. Ann's mother was always in a bad mood and worked constantly. But Ann cared for her parents. She had tried to get them down to 3 packs of Kool a day, but it ended in a huge arguement and Ann getting beat for 'disrespecting her parents.'

After the flames died down and were completely put out, there was nothing but debris left in place of what used to be Ann's home. When Ann was finally able to tell her legs to start moving, she went over to the cop that she spoke to before.

"How did the fire start?" she asked him.

"Well, somebody fell asleep while smoking. The house caught on fire and your parents didn't wake up until it was too late. Like I said before, miss, I am sorry for your losses. I'm going to take ya to a girls' home now, since you don't have anywhere to--Miss! Get back here!"

As soon as Ann heard that she was going to be taken to a girls' home, she started running. She was _not _going to be taken to a girls' home, _never_. Ann didn't care that she had no money, no food, no clothes, no family, and no home. She was not gunna go anywhere she didn't want to go. Ann ran and ran until she couldn't run anymore. She collapsed in the park near the swings. Ann sat there, on the ground, and cried.

She didn't stop crying until she heard a voice say, "Are you alright?"

Ann rubbed her eyes and looked up to see who had spoken to her. She saw two boys who looked like they might be her age. One boy had black hair that was greased and messy. He looked very beat up and seemed sort of mysterious, especially when you looked at his eyes, which were big and black. The other boy had brown-ish colored hair. He didn't really look beat up, except for a big scab on his neck.

Ann looked down at the dirt and said, "No. No, I'm not alright. I have no family, no home, no nothing. I should just kill myself right now and get the suffering over with. You gotta blade?"

The two boys looked at each other worriedly, then the brunette said, "Well, my name is Ponyboy Curtis and this here is Johnny Cade. And we aren't gunna let you kill yourself. What's your name?"

"Ann Mele. Nice to meet ya," Ann said to them, happy they didn't give her a blade. She was afraid of what she might have done with it.

"Well, listen. Maybe if you come with us to my house, you can calm down a little and relax," Ponyboy offered.

Ann took a good look at them. They looked nice enough, didn't seem like they would try anything with her. Ann said okay and followed the boys. As they were walking, Ponyboy asked how old Ann was.

"I'm 15," she told them.

"Oh. I'm 14," Ponyboy said.

"What bout you, Johnny?" Ann asked.

"16," he said shyly.

"Oh, cool."

"You from Tulsa?" Ponyboy asked.

"Yeah. I live about 10 blocks from the park," Ann answered.

After that, the three of them walked in silence. Ann liked Ponyboy and Johnny, even though she didn't really know them all that well. A while later, they reached what Ann asumed was Ponyboy's house. They walked in, to find the house full of guys. A very muscular guy who seemed to be the oldest of the group was sitting in a chair, reading the paper. Two others were wrestling on the floor, near another boy who was sitting cross-legged in front of the television, which had Mickey Mouse on it's screen. Soon they all looked up to see who had walked in the house and had curious faces when they saw Ann. Ann felt nervous with all the guys staring at her. She was not used to getting much attention, especially not from a bunch of boys. Cute boys, to be exact.

Mr. Muscular got up and asked, "Pony, who's your friend?"

"This is Ann Mele. She was real upset when me and Johnny found her in the park. I told her she should come home with us so she could calm down a bit. She seems to be having a real bad day, Dar," Ponyboy told Mr. Muscular.

Mr. Muscular turned to Ann and said, "I'm Darry, Ponyboy's oldest brother. Nice to meet ya."

"Nice to meet you too," Ann said to Darry with a weak smile on her face. Soon the others were all standing and introducing themselves.

A boy with short black hair and an eagle tattoo on his arm greeted her next, "Hi. I'm Steve Randle."

"Hi," Ann said back as the boy that was wrestling with Steve came up to her. He had drop-dead gorgeous looks and a movie-star smile.

"Hello there. I'm Sodapop, Pony's other older brother," he flashed her one of those smiles, and Ann smiled back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sodapop," Ann said, joking around.

"Oh no, the pleasure is all mine, Ann, " Soda said back. All the others went, "Ooooohhh" and Soda and Ann laughed. The last of the boys had rusty-colored hair with sideburns. He had the wackiest grin Ann had ever seen on his face.

"Howdy!" he said.

"Uh...hi," Ann said back.

"I'm Two-Bit."

"Nice to meet ya, Two-Bit."

"Ya wanna know what's a real bummer?"

"Uh, I guess."

"You ain't a blonde. Shoot, I only go for the blondes, but maybe I'll make an exception for you," Two-Bit said, putting an arm around Ann's shoulder.

"Lucky me," Ann said sarcasticly witha smile on her face. She took Two-Bit's arm off her shoulder and Pony gestured for her to sit next to him on the couch.

When Ann sat down Darry spoke, "Now, what kinda trouble you in?"

Ann's smile turned into a frown and she looked down at the floor. "It's a long story," Ann told them. At that, Soda sat next to her on the couch, Darry sat in the chair, and Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve sat on the floor. Ann told them everything that happened to her. When she finished, she started crying. Soda and Pony comforted her. Soda was hugging her tightly and telling her soothing things while Ponyboy rubbed her back and 'shushed' her. When Ann stopped crying she told everyone that she was just exhausted from the day's events. Darry said she could rest in Sodapop and Ponyboy's room and told her that they would sort things out in the morning. Ann followed Soda to the bedroom and when she was in it, Sodapop said, "I'm real sorry about what happened to your parents and everything. I know how it feels. My parents died in a car wreck."

"I'm so sorry Sodapop."

"Well, go on and get some shut eye now," Soda said, leaving the room.

Ann layed bed on the bed and soon drifted off into dreamland, where nothing bad happens and parents don't die.

**AN:** Well, what do ya think so far? Constructive critisism is welcome, and, of course, flattery is too! hehehe. Please review and tell me what ya think of my fan fiction!


	2. I Can Be TUFF

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Hi everybody! Here's chapter 2! I hope you like it! Thank you to **Izziecakes **and **TheAngryPrincess13 **for the lovely reviews! And thanks, **Maddiecake**, for the **CONSTRUCTIVE** critisism. And to everybody else who is like **Here's What I Think!**, guess what? I don't really give a damn what you think! Surprise, surprise! Flames are just a big waste of time, not only for me, but for the people who write them too. Why would you spend time typing something that won't do any good for anyone and just be ignored? So, NO flames please! And if you really think that my story "sucks" so much, I'm fine with that. It's your opinion. Don't read my story if ya don't like it! You're wasting your time with that if you are just going to read my story and them critisize it because you don't like it. Well, that's too damn bad for you, if you don't like it. So, with parting words to all the people who read stories just to leave flames in the end: Get a life and "do us a favor" and take that stick outa your ass. Thank you! D (And one more thing: Have you heard of "love at first sight"? Guess not. Well, it happens. And I write because that's what I like to do. Not because I want to pretend that some fictional characters are in love with me. And If ya don't like romances, why are you reading stories in this section? Hmm? Romances can be dramatic, or fluffy, oir whatever. So why read a ROMANCE, which it says clearly, just to make fun of romances? Guess what, this story will be as mushy-gushy, lovey-dovey as I want it to be. And the characters will fall in love or whatever whenever I decide I want them to. So fuck off and go waste your time and energy somewhere else.) And that's enogh ranting for me! Sorry, ranting gets all the bad energy out of me, and I'm a pretty fluent ranter. Makes me feel better and write happily! xDDD Well, time to get to ch. 2!

**Disclaimer: **If I owned the Outsiders, do you think I would be writing this? I hope you don't think so.

I CAN BE TUFF

Ann woke up the next morning to find Soda sleeping on the far side of the bed. Ann carefully crept out of bed and out of the bedroom. In the living room, Ann saw that the clock read 7:06. In the kitchen, Ponyboy was getting some eggs and a package of baccon out of the fridge. Darry was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper and drinking coffee.

"G' morning," Ann said.

"Good mornin'," Darry and Ponyboy said in unison.

"Let me cook breakfast for y'all. It's really the least I can do," Ann told the two brothers as she grabbed the frying pan from Pony's hand and started frying the eggs. Pony had already put the baccon in another frying pan. After a few minutes, Darry spoke.

"Ann, I'm really sorry, but you can't stay here with us. There's just not enough room and money for another person in this house. But we will help ya try to get your life started again. Help ya find a place to stay and stuff like that. I wish we could help ya out more, but we really can't."

Ponyboy looked like he wanted to protest, but Ann didn't let him get a chance to.

"I understand. I wasn't expecting to be welcomed with open arms or anything, 'cause I know how people on our side of town got it. I'm just grateful y'all let me stay here last night, and everything. And thank you for caring enough to try to help me the best you can. Not alot of people 'round hear have as big hearts as you Curtis' do," Ann said with a smile. She meant all that she said. She wasn't expecting anything from them. They barely know her. Ann had just come barging through their front door. Well, really, she had been invited... but that was besides the point. She would be a horrible person if she took over these kind peoples' lives.

"Well, you're gunna need a job and a place to stay. And you're gunna need some clothes and other stuff too. You have any idea where you would like to work or stay?" Darry asked.

"Um, well, I guess the only place I can stay is at Buck's, isn't it? And I'm not sure 'bout the job part. No waitressing jobs. I hate how waitresses get treated." Ann had a cousin who used to be a waitress. All the guys hit on her and tried to touch her and mess with her. The boss told her if she ever said anything to 'upset' a costumer, she'd get fired. So Franny, Ann's cousin, was forced to deal with all the shit she got with a forced smile on her face.

"Okay, what kind of things are you intrested in?" Darry asked.

"I know! Cars! I know a whole lot about cars. My brother Todd taught me almost everything there is to know about cars. He had a real mean Mustang. Bright blue. A real beauty. Ya think they need an extra mechanic at the DX?" Ann asked excitedly. That would be a great job for her.

"You could ask Steve about any job openings there. Him and Soda work at the DX. Steve's a mechanic and Soda basically pumps gas," Darry told Ann.

"And attracts girls," Ponyboy added.

That's when the front door opened. Ann peered into the living room and saw that it was Two-Bit, Steve, and another boy that looked very tuff and cold. He was strikingly handsome and his blue eyes were stunning. Emotionless, but stunning.

"Hey Ann! Get in 'ere!" Two-Bit shouted, which probably woke Sodapop up.

"Geez, I'm comin'," Ann said. She walked into the living room, only to have Two-Bit put his arm around her shoulder again.

"You didn't get to meet this fella yesterday, since ya were out cold when he came 'round. We told him what happened to you yesterday, so you wouldn't have to say iot over again," Steve explained, with sympathy in his voice.

"Thanks," Ann said, as she slid Two-Bit's arm off of her. She turned to the boy she hadn't been introduced to yet.

"I'm Ann. Ann Mele."

"Yeah, I'm Dallas Winston," He said cooly. He took a long look at Ann, which made her nervous, but she tried not to let it show. He looked at her just-above-the-shoulder length, dark-brown hair. Then he looked at her many freckles and pale skin and full lips. Dallas looked the rest of her body up and down then took a long look at her green eyes. Ann's eyes showed the littlest amount of pain, and no fear. They were happy eyes. Like Soda's.

"I've heard about you," Ann finally said. Dallas kept looking her straight in the eyes. Ann looked right back into his peircing blue ones.

Dallas smirked and said, "Oh really? Whadya hear?"

"I've heard that you're a real tuff guy who's gotta pretty mean record and a is with taht slut, Sylvia," Ann said. She might not get out much, but she hears things. A lot of things.

"You know Sylvie, huh?" Dallas asked.

"No. I don't know her. I just know about her. I hear that she's slept with almost all the greasers in Tulsa. I wouldn't doubt that one bit."

Dally chuckled, "Yeah. I believe that. She's a two-timin' bitch. She ain't my girl no more. I got rid of her for good yesterday. Sylvia's just a whiny slut."

That's when Sodapop stumbled out of the bedroom, sleepily.

"Hey, Dal. Ya meet Ann already?" He asked.

"Yeah. I did," Dally answered. Soda yawned and went into the bathroom.

After breakfast, Dally left, Darry went to work, and Steve was helping Soda find his shoe. Two-Bit went into the living room and, out of nowhere, doubled over in hysterical laughter. Everyone stared at Two-Bit as if he were a lunatic. Two-Bit pointed his shaking finger to the shelf on the wall. Ann looked at the shelf and saw what Two-Bit was laughing at. Right next to a football trophy was nothing other than Sodapop's missing shoe. Ann looked at Soda questioningly as he reached up and grabbed the shoe. He just shrugged at put on the shoe.

While they had been eating breakfast, Ann had asked Steve about the DX and he said that he would ask the manager about it today. As Soda and Steve raced out the door, Soda yelled back, "See y'all later!"

About 5 minutes later, Johnny came through the door. "Hey guys," he said quietly.

"Hey Johnny. Ann's gunna be stayin' at Bucks, probably. And she might get a job at the DX with Steve and Soda," said Ponyboy.

Johnny smiled and said, "That's cool."

"What do ya bone-heads wanna do this cheerful Saturday afternoon?" Two-Bit asked with a wild grin.

"How about we take a walk somewhere? Maybe to the park or something," Ponyboy suggested.

"That sounds good to me," Ann said. "Are you fellas up to it?"

"Sure."

"Lets go," and then the four greasers were out the door and walking in the warm June sunshine.

After going to the park for awhile, they decided to go to the Dingo, Two-Bit's treat. Inside was cooler than outside. It wasn't very rowdy in the Dingo, but it was only 11:00. In about a half hour or so, it would be noisy and crowded. They got a booth, and Johnny and Ponyboy sat on one side, while Ann and Two-Bit sat on the other. A crabby waitress came and took their orders. They all got burgers and fries and milkshakes, except for Ann, who got a Coke instead.

After they finished eating, the four of them walked around town aimlessly, just talking and laughing.

"Okay, so Two-Bit is the jokester, Steve's the motor-head, Soda is the sweet-heart, Darry's the mustles, Pony's the dreamer, Dally is the hood, and Johnny, you're the quiet one?" Ann asked, smiling at Johnny, who blushed a bit.

"Yeah," he said. "That's pretty much how it is."

So what kinda person are you, Ann?" asked Two-Bit. He put his arm around Ann for what seemed like the umpteenth time in the past 2 hours. Instead of sliding Two-Bit's arm off her shoulder, Ann let it rest there.

"Well," Ann started, "I don't know. I'm loving and caring for others. I'm quick-witted at times. I love to read novels. And I can be real tuff when I need to be."

"Oh yeah? Just how tuff are ya?" Two-Bit asked ginning like a mad-man. He obviously didn't believe Ann could be any tuffer than a cute and cuddly kitten.

"Believe me, I'm tuff," Ann told him, getting a bit irritated that he didn't think she, a girl, could be tuff.

"Well, I bet ya wouldn't knock over a fly. Matter of fact, I don't thing you would be able to knock over a fly!" Two-Bit said, smiling and getting a kick out of how oh-so-clever he was. Two-bit had continued walking, but Ann waited back for a second, just to get a good distance. Then, while Two-Bit was laughing about the fly thing, Ann ran and leaped onto his back, with such force that she knocked him flat on his face. Ann smiled triumphantly.

"Why, shoot Two-Bit. You sure don't look like a fly to me," she said, while Ponyboy and Johnny doubled over in laughter.

"She sure showed you, Two-Bit," Johnny said, still laughing alot.

Two-Bit got a goofy looking grin on his face and said, "Well, I don't mind being takled if it means her on top of me."

With that said, Ann stood up, lightly kicked Two-Bit in the side and kept on walking. Johnny and Ponyboy still laughing a little at Two-Bit.

It was around 12:30 when a real mean red Mustang started following them. Johnny and Pony looked a bit frightened. Two-bit looked ready to punch a Soc's face if needed. Ann just walked on, head high, as if there were no Socs following them.

"Hey baby," one called,"Want to have the ride of your life?" The others laughed. Stupid, drunken, rich, spoiled assholes. That's what these so called Socs were.

Another one said, "Hey honey, why are you hanging around with a bunch of trash when you could be with us?" They laughed again, and howled.

Ann stopped walking and said, "If you're calling these guys trash, then what do you consider yourselves? 'Cause I'd say you're lower than dirt, ya pieces of shit!"

"What did you say to us, bitch?" That's when the Socs started to get out of the car, a bit wobbly from being drunk. There were 6 Socs against 4 Greasers.

Two-bit filpped open his switchblade. "I'd leave us alone if I were you," he said, looking as if he had escaped from the loony-bin.

With a shaky voice, one Soc said, "Yeah, well, it's a good thing you aren't us."

That's when the fighting broke out. Two-Bit already had one Soc down withing a minute. Ponyboy was fighting one, and Johnny was knocked down by a Soc, but quickly got up and gave the Soc a black eye. One big Soc with a hungry look in his eyes. He grabbed Ann's left arm and started dragging her to the car. "I don't think so," Ann said, before knocking the guy out with a punch that took all her strength. Ann's whole right arm hurt from punching the guy so hard. Now there were 4 Socs out and 2 to go. Two-Bit and Ponyboy were working on the biggest Soc, while Johnny was on the ground, holding his head. Ann was about to go check on him, when the other Soc grabbed a fist full of her hair and put a blade to Ann's neck. He told Ann not to say anything, or he would cut her throat.

All Ann could think was, _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! _None of the guys noticed what was going on, they were all occupied. Then, suddenly, the Soc, who had been pulling Ann to the car, was pulled off of her. Ann turned around to see what had happened. She saw Dally had come to the rescue and was currently punching the living day lights out of the Soc. Ann tapped on the Soc's shoulder. When the Soc turned around, Ann said," Don't you ever fucking touch me again." Then she punched him as hard as she could, even harder than she had the other Soc, and he fell to the ground, with a scream of pain. By then, the biggest Soc was out too. The Socs ran to their car and sped off. Dally turned to Ann and smirked.

"Man, you're a pretty tuff chick, considering your size," he told her.

"Yeah, Two-Bit learned that earlier, didn't ya Bits?" Ann asked, with a sly smile planted on her face. Ponyboy and Johnny clued Dally in on the day's events. Dally seemed to think that Ann was an okay person, which Ann was happy about. To be approved of by Dallas Winston, one of the toughest hoods in Tulsa, was a pretty big thing to Ann.

Ann was having a really good day (not counting the part with the Socs, that is), considering that only yesterday her life was changed completely. Ann was in a really good mood alright. She jumped on Two-Bit's back for a piggy-back ride. When he started running fast, Ann started yellingt for him to let her down. When Two-Bit finally did let her down, they were near the Curtis house. They walked in and got a few drinks. Two-Bit got a beer and sat in front of the television. Ann sat down next to Dally on the couch, with Johnny sitting on her other side. Ponyboy sat on the floor and they all sipped their drinks and watched Mickey Mouse.

After a while, Ann got the idea to write a letter to her brother Todd and tell him what had happened. Ann sat down in the kitchen and wrote:

_Dear Todd,_

_Alot has happened and I wish you were here to be with me. I miss you alot, especially now, when I need your support. On Friday, Mom and Dad died in a fire at our house. Dad must have fallen asleep with a cancer-stick again, only this time Mom was asleep too, and nobody was there to wake up Dad or anything. The whole house burned down, and all I have are my school books and what I was wearing. _

_The cop wanted to take me to a girls home, but I started running. Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade found me in the park and Ponyboy offered for me to calm down at his house. He has two older brothers: Darry (the oldest) and Sodapop. The other guys in the gang are Steve Randle, Two-Bit Mathews, and Dallas Winston. Now, I know what you're thinking, 'My baby sister hangin' around a hood like Dallas Winston?' Dally and the others are cool, though. I'm being treated nicely, even though they don't know me so well yet. _

_I am going to be staying at Bucks and I might get a job at the DX. Aren't ya proud of your little sis, a possible mechanic? You taught me a whole lot of stuff about cars, and I'm thankful for it. I just wanted to let you in on what happened and tell you that I'm okay. I miss you so much. I wish you hadn't left me with the folks, but I know that you couldn't take me to New York with you. You are the only thing I have left now, and you are so far away. I love you so much. Please remember to write back._

_Your Baby Girl,_

_ Ann_

When Soda and Steve came through the door Ann learned that, indeed, there was a use of another good mechanic at the DX. Ann would have to go see the manager tomarrow so he could see if Ann would be good for the job. Ann was pretty excited. It would be so cool to have a job that she would enjoy so much.

**AN:** Okay, there it was. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review. NO FLAMES! Constructive critisism is welcomed. I like advice, it is helpful. Unlike..coughflamescough... you get the point! D


	3. Trouble at the Double,Mayhem in the Park

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Oki doki! Here is the next chapter of my story! Read it. Like it. REVIEW! Um...gives puppy dog face pwease? ENJOY!

**Disclaimer:** You know the dealio. I don't own it. DUUUH!

TROUBLE AT THE DOUBLE AND MAYHEM IN THE PARK

Ann woke up at 7:00 the next morning in a dirty room with a small bed, a lamp, a night stand, and pretty much nothing else. It was one of Buck's rooms. Ann didn't like having to sleep in the room, but it was all there was for her. And she only had to be in there a few hours a day. Only when she slept, b ecause there was no way she was going to stay all cooked up in that room all day long. Ann pulled on a pair of jeans that Ponyboy had let her borrow and a plaid button-up that belonged to Sodapop. She rolled up the sleeves to almost her elbow and put a belt around her waist. The clothes were a little big, but Ann was happy to actulally have a pair of clean clothes. She tied her converses and went down the stairs and out the door. She walked to the Curtis House where she was going to meet up with Steve and Soda. Today she was going to meet the manager and hopefully get a job at the DX. When she arrived at the Curtis House, she wasn't sure whether to knock or just waltz right in. She remembered the guys coming in yesterday morning, and none of them knocking. They were part of the gang, though. She wasn't. She stood at the door for a good 5 minutes and finally made her choice. She was about to knock on the door when Soda opened the door.

"You can just come in, you don't have to knock... or stand out here for 10 minutes," he said with a grin. Ann blushed.

"I believe it was only 5 minutes, not 10," She said, walking through the door and into the livingroom.

"Hey Ann! In here!" Two-Bit called from the kitchen. Ann walked into the room.

"I'm not deaf, Two-Bit. I could have heard ya fine if you would of talk in a normal voice," Ann said, rolling her eyes. She stood in the doorway of the kitchen, looking at Soda, Steve, Ponyboy, Two-Bit and Johnny stuff their faces with food. Darry probably had left for work and Dally was probably off getting into trouble, or recovering from a hangover.

"Come sit in your rightful seat," Two-Bit said to Ann. He was patting his lap for her to sit there.

"There are two main reasons why I will not sit on your lap, especially while you eat: 1: I'm not a tramp. 2: You're a pig," Ann said, giving Two-Bit a disgusted look.

"Whaddya mean?" Two-Bit asked with his mouth overflowing with eggs, causing his words to come out funny. The others laughed and Ann shook her head with a smile on her face.

"Two-Bit, Two-Bit. Whatever am I gonna do with you?" She asked. Two-Bit swallowed his food.

"Oh, I could name a whole lotta things you could do to me, but as you said, you aren't a tramp. Too, too bad for me," he said with a sigh.

Ann rolled her eyes and sat down in a vacant chair. Ponyboy offered her some eggs and she gladly ate the eggs. After she was done, Ann headed out with Soda and Steve. She said good-bye to Johnny and Pony, then went through the door and down the stairs. As she was walking through the gate, Two bit ran out of the house.

"Hey! What about me?" he yelled to Ann. She smirked.

"Oh, I almost forgot! See ya later, dip-shit!" Ann hollered to him. She laughed at his surprised look. Then he grinned that wacko-grin of his.

"I'll miss you too, sweetheart!" Two-Bit called. Steve howled, causing Ann to blush a bit.

When the three of them got to the DX, the manager, Jim, greeted Ann. He asked her a whole bunch of questions about what she knew about cars and where she learned about cars. Then he put her to the test by asking her to point out the problem on a pick-up truck that had just come in. Ann examined the engine and finally told Jim that the radiator was shot. He told her that saw right and that if she could fix it up, she would have the job. Ann was almost done by lunch break. Soda got Cokes for Ann, Steve, and himself. They three of then sat down in the cooled inside of the gas station.

"You know, Jim didn't make you do everything he's making Ann do, did he Steve?" Soda asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Nah, he basically gave the job right to me."

"It's because I'm a girl and most greaser girls become waitresses, not mechanics. Jim probably didn't think a girl like me could even pop the hood," Ann said. She hated being put down for being a girl, but it was like a challage to prove everyone wrong. It was a challage that Ann would probably always take up.

"Well, I think you have this job in the bag, Ann. You really are something when it comes to cars," Steve said. Ann smiled at him.

When Ann finished with the radiator, Jim came in to examine her work. After a few minutes, he told her she had the job. She got a hat and a work shirt. She offically started tomarrow and was going to work Monday through Thursday. She was estatic. She finished about a half hour or so before the boys got off, so she decided to walk back to the Curtis house to tell the others the good news.

At 10:00 that night, everyone except for Darry went to the Double. They went through a whole in the fence and found seats. Dally sat all the way at the end of the row, followed by Ponyboy and Johnny. Next to Johnny was Two-Bit, then Ann, Soda, and Steve last. It was one of those beach movies... AGAIN. They seemed to _always_ play those movies, from what Pony had said. Ann never really went to the movies at all, so she didn't know. Everyone got pretty bored pretty fast. After awhile, Ann and Sodapop when to go get the gang some popcorn and drinks. While waiting on the line at the concesion stand, they talked a little.

"So, how come none of the gang ever saw you before Friday?" Soda asked.

"Well, I go to school and everything, but I don't really talk to anybody or answer questions. I just blend in with every other greaser. Then I go home, do homework, and stay in my room. I didn't really get out much after my brother Todd moved to New York. Before he left, I never left his side. He taught me everything I know about cars and being tuff... He even taught me how to fight. I always hung with him and his friends. His girlfriends would be my friends, well, until they broke up at least. But everything changed when he left. I was abandoned. But then I met you guys, and now I'm as happy as can be," Ann told him, with a smile planted on her face.

"Well, you oughta know something then, Ann," Soda said with a grin. "Now that you met us, there's no escaping us!" They both laughed and finally got the food and drinks.

When Soda and Ann returned with the gang's popcorn and sodas, there were two Soc girls sitting a row infront of theirs. Ann passed everyone their orders and studied the Socs. One was a brunette with short-ish hair. The other was a red-head whose hair was long and silky-looking. Ann realised that the red-head was one of the popular Socs in school, Cherry Valance. She didn't look like a happy camper either. She looked very angry at something, or someone. Dally sat in the seat next to Cherry and handed her his Coke.

"Here, maybe this will cool you off," he told her.

The next thing that happened surprised Ann completely. Cherry had poured the drink all over Dally's face. Boy, that really got Dally mad. He looked like he was going to hit Cherry. Ann and Johnny both jumped up and tried to get Dally to calm down. They both grabbed one of his arms and told him to stop and leave Cherry alone. That made things worse. He shoved Johnny off of him and started yelling at him.

"Come on Dally, lets just leave. This movie isn't all that good anyways," Ann said in a soft voice.

She finally got him to calm down a bit and leave with her, Soda, and Steve. They were on the sidewalk and Dally kept mumbling about 'that little bitch' for a few minutes. He finally stopped and walked in silence. Ann was really tired. She lleaned her head on Soda's shoulder and he put his arm around her to keep her steady. Ann closed her eyes and let Soda lead the way. She started to doze off, the words being said by the boys was like a buzz in her head. She felt her body being taken away from Soda and lifted into someone else's arms. Ann burried her head in the boy's chest and let herself sleep in this stranger's arms.

Ann woke up with a stirr. She looked around her and saw that she was in a bed with Ponyboy and Johnny sitting on the edge of it. Dally was going through a draw and taking out some stuff. Pony and Johnny looked as if something terrible had happened. This made Ann's stomach churn. She cleared her throat and the three boys looked at her. Ponyboy spoke first.

"Me and Johnny got jumped by a bunch of Socs and they tried to drown me and Johnny killed one," he said very quickly with panic in his voice.

Ann went wide eyed, and even though she was extremely exhausted, she pulled herself into sitting position and examined the boys, asking them if they were okay. They toldd her the whole story about what happened since she had left the Double. Ponyboy was soaked and Johnny looked paler than ever. Even Dallas looked a bit destressed, but he was the only one that knew what to do. He gave Ponyboy a shirt and told them about the plan he had for them. Dally gave them a gun, money, and told them to get on a train and go hide out in an old, abandoned church and to lay low. After Dally told the boys everything they had to do, they left. Ann felt the world spinning and her tired-ness coming back. She couldn't believe what was happening. She couldn't think about it though, because when she laid back down on the bed, she was out in a minute.


	4. This Is Not Your Room

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Hey guys! Here's chapter 4! I hope you like it! Oh, you may have realized that there are some reviews to my story that say they are from **Dally's Stalker**, which is me. Well, I wasn't sending myself reviews. My little brother was sending them while I was logged in, so they came up as my pen name. The ones from his say **jp** in the review, but now he has his own pen name and won't be using mine anymore. Just wanted to let you know that, so you don't think I review for my own stories, lol. Now you may read chapter 4!

**Disclaimer:** It's not mine.

THIS IS NOT YOUR ROOM

Ann woke up and looked at the plain white walls of her room. Well, Buck's room, really. She stretched out her arms and legs. That's when Ann discovered that she was not alone in bed. As Ann stretched her legs, she realized that her legs were touching somebody else's. Ann's eyes widened and her heart was pounding in her chest. She tried to get out of the bed, but somebody's strong arms were around her waist. The unknown person tighted their grip and pulled Ann up against their body. Ann slowly turned her head to face the person that she was lying in bed with, afraid of who she would see. _Why is this person in my room? Why is this person in my bed! _

Once Ann was face-to-face with this person, she started squirming and screaming. "DALLY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED? WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU IN MY ROOM?"

Dallas let go of Ann and she jumped out of the bed. Dally was shirtless, and he looked annoyed. "I'll tell you if you stop the fucking screaming!" Dallas told her, sitting up in bed.

Ann calmed down and let Dally tell her why he was in her room.

"Well," Dallas started,"The first thing you should know is that this isn't your room."

Ann looked around the room and realized that it was indeed not hers. "Oh. It isn't mine. Then why am I in your room?" she asked.

"After the movies last night you were falling asleep so I took you back here, to Buck's. But I didn't know what room you were staying in, so I took you to mine instead. Are you happy now, Miss Crabby Ass?"

"Yes, I am. Thanks for not dumping me downstairs or anything," Ann said. Then she remembered something. _A horrible dream about Johnny and Ponyboy. They had to run away because Johnny stabbed a Soc. It seemed so real._ Ann's heart sunk. _What if it was real?_

"Dally, did... Did something happen with Ponyboy and Johnny last night?" Ann asked, fearing what Dally may say.

"Yeah, don't you remember?" Dallas asked. Ann sat down next to him on the bed and hung her head low.

"Johnny. He... Did he really kill a Soc? And Pony almost got drowned?"

"Yeah. That really happened. I never thought I'd see it hear in Tulsa, especially not with it having to do with Johnny. He wouldn't kill nobody unless he had to," Dallas told Ann, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What's gunna happen to them? What will happen to Johnny if the fuzz catches them?" Ann asked. Tears were brimming.

"They ain't going to get caught. They're hiding up in Windrixville in an old abandoned church. Nobody's gunna look for them there."

Tears started falling down Ann's cheeks. "Why did this happen? Why did it happen to Ponyboy and Johnny. They are good people. This shouldn't have happened to nice people like them. They didn't do anything to desirve this."

"Hey, I know this shouldn't happen to people like Johnny and Ponyboy, but you gotta stay cool. Don't go saying nothin' to Sodapop or Darry. Not anybody in the gang. Nobody at all, okay? Now quit that crying."

Ann nodded and wipped away her tears. She took a deep breath and left Dally's room. She never in her life could imagine Johnny being a murderer. _No, he_ _isn't a murderer. He did it as self defence. The Socs were going to hurt Johnny and Ponyboy. It was all self defence. _Ann got to her room and changed her clothes. She was going to go over to the Curtis House, act cheerful, and act like she doesn't know anything about what Ponyboy and Johnny did or where they were.

Ann walked into the Curtis's home and Soda immediately asked her if she had seen Ponybody or Johnny anywhere. It hurt Ann to lie to Soda like that. He was so trusting.

Ann just shook her head and said,"No. Why?"

**AN: **Yeah, that was probably the shortest chapter in this story, but I hope you liked it. Well, review! NO FLAMES! Bye!


	5. Old Friends and a Road Trip

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Hey everybody! I'm finally updating! I think I will be updating alot in the next 2 weeks, or at least I hope. I have thought of 3 more Harry Potter stories I'm going to write, so I would like to get this Outsiders story done and then go into Harry Potter mode. So I'm going to try to get this story done soon. It probably will be done before the end of September, maybe even before that. Well, here's the 5th chapter of my story. It will be showing some of the people of Ann's past. So Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

Old Friends And A Road Trip

**Ann's PoV**

It had been a few days since the inccedent in the park had happened. Everybody was worried sick about Johnny and Ponyboy. Dally had been taken into the police office for questioning, since he is oh so notorious for making trouble. He gave the cops a big load of crap. Something about Johnny and Pony going to Texas. Two-Bit was set on going to Texas to find the boys. I'm terrified that the fuzz will find them and Johnny will be put in the cooler, even though he killed the Soc on self defense. Like anyone would believe Johnny's side anyway. The Socs get away with everything, I mean EVERYTHING, and why? Because they have all the money in the god damed world. And what will happen to Ponyboy if he's caught? He will probably be thrown in a boy's home. They don't desirve any of this. This was all caused by those good for nothing Socs. Fucking rich bastards! Nothing is sacred anymore. Nothing. Society has been thrown down the drain, as will Ponyboy and Johnny's innocent lives if they are caught.

Everyday it gets harder and harder for me to pretend as if I know nothing of Johnny and Pony's where-abouts. When I'm at work at the DX, I can see how sad and worrisome and lonely Sodapop is, and it kills me to see him like that. He's the happy-go-lucky type of guy, not the lonesome kind. I want to tell Soda everything I know, but Dallas says he's gunna butcher me if I do. So that's a negative on plan Tell Soda. I just wish there was something I could do for him... Oh! That letter! Sodapop had written a letter to Ponyboy, and asked Dally to make sure Pony got it. Dallas said that he didn't know where Ponyboy or Johnny were, so Soda just left the note on the end table in the livingroom. I'll go over there, pocket the note, and make Dally give it to Pony, or else. Well, I don't think threatening Dally will do anything other than give him a laugh, but I'll try to make him give Ponyboy the letter from Sodapop.

**Regular PoV**

Ann went over to the Curtis's house a half hour later, to leave for work with Sodapop and Steve. Ann waited in the livingroom for the boys to finish getting ready. Soda was looking for his DX hat and Steve was looking for a way to swipe some of Darry's baccon. Nobody was looking, so Ann took the letter and put it in the pocket of her fading jeans. Steve and Soda finally were ready to leave and Ann left with them to the DX.

After a grease-filled work day, Ann went over to the Curtis's home to see if Dallas was there. He wasn't. Ann went over to Bucks and knocked on the door Dallas slept in, but he wasn't there either. Ann walked to the Dingo and didn't see Dally anywhere, so she took a break and got a Coke. After Ann finished her drink, she decided just to walk back to Bucks and rest for a few. On the way, Ann saw Dallas talking with a very familiar guy. She walked over and tapped the boy she used to know on the back. He turned around and when he saw Ann, he looked surprised.

He smiled and said, "Well, well, well. If it isn't little Ann Mele. Not so little anymore, are you? I haven't seen you around since Todd ran off to New York. How you been?"

Ann smiled back at him, "I'm doing okay. I've been hanging around with Dallas here, and the Curtis's and those guys since the fire at my house. My parents were in it. They didn't make it out."

"Sorry about that Ann. I heard about it and I kept wondering if you ran of to live with Todd or if you got thrown in a girls home. But I guess you decided to stick around old Tulsa, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess I did."

Dally, who had been standing around looking confused, finally got in the conversation, "Wait. Shepard, you know Ann? How?"

Tim smirked and said, "Her brother used to hang with my gang, and Ann was basically attatched to Todd by the hip. She was always hanging around with us, but the last time I saw you, Ann, I think you were 13 or somethin', right?"

Ann smiled at the old memories, "Yeah. I was around that age. That was a little while after you taught me and Angela how to fight. Boy, was that a mistake. Every time we started to argue, we would try to beat each other up. I bet I could still beat Angie's ass. Is she around? What about Curly? Is he here?"

"Curly's inside, but Angela's out. You should go say hi to Curly. I bet he misses you. You guys were almost as inseperable and you and Todd."

Ann smiled, "Yeah, I'll go say hi to him. Dally, come get me before you leave. I have to talk to you about something."

Dallas nodded.

"It was real cool seeing you again. I'll see you around," Tim told Ann.

She nodded and said, "You can count on it Shep."

Ann walked into the Shepard's house and went to Curly's door. She knocked on it, but got no answer. After knocking once more, Ann decided to just walk in. She opened the door and saw Curly Shepard sleeping in his bed. His room was messy and littered with bottles of booze and soda. Ann could not at all believe that Curly was still sleeping when it was 2:00 in the afternoon. She tipp-toed over to the side on the bed that Curly was facing and carefully got into that side of the bed.

Ann shook the sleeping teen and said, "Hey, Sleeping Beauty. Time to wake up."

Curly stirred and when he opened his eyes and saw Ann laying in bed next to him, he jumped out of bed and fell on the floor.

Ann laughed, sat up in the bed, and said, "You look like you saw a ghost."

Curly rubbed his eyes, looked at Ann, and then got on his feet, "Ann? What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in a long time."

"I know. It's almost been three years. I was looking for Dally. When I saw that he was talking to Tim, I just had to come and see you guys. How ya been doin'?"

"I'm fine, but what about you? I heard about your parents and everything. Where are you staying? How you holding up?" Curly asked as he sat down next to Ann on the bed.

"I've been doing okay, I guess. I've been hanging around with Dally's gang. I'm workin' as a mechanic at the DX and I'm staying in one of Buck's rooms. I'm holdin' up pretty good."

"That's good. You were always strong like that. It was like you could take on anything. Especially Angela," Curly said, chuckling at the last part.

Ann laughed, "Yeah, I kinda miss kicking her ass. I missed you so much Curly. You were my best friend. And you look so different too. you're taller and more muscular and..." Ann was looking Curly up and down. That's when she realized that he was only wearing a pair of black boxer-breifs. She blushed and forced herself to look at Curly's face, and Curly's face only.

Curly smirked and said, "Oh come on Ann. We've seen each other COMPLETELY naked before. We even went skinny-dipping at night together."

Ann looked slightly appauled, "You are making it seem as if that actually meant something! We were 7 when we saw each other naked and it was because we were soaked from playing with the hose and that was the only room to change in. And we went skinny-dipping when we were 9. We both had nothing to look at then. We were too young and didn't even care about that stuff."

Then Curly muttered, "And I still have nothing to look at."

Ann playfully punched him on the arm, "Hey! I look so much more different than I used to. I'm almost as tall as you are now."

"Yeah, but I bet you're still as ticklish as you used to be," Curly said with a mischeivious grin on his face.

"Curly, if you even try to tickle me I will--" Ann was cut off Curly tickling her stomach. Ann was laughing uncontrollably. She and Curly were rolling around in bed, and tickling each other, like old times.

Then a voice spoke, "Well, if you two are done messin' around, I'm leaving, so Ann should come with me."

Ann looked at Dallas and blushed. Only God knew what he thought when he saw Curly and Ann in that situation. Ann hugged Curly and said good bye.

Once Ann and Dally were outside Dallas said, "Get in the car." He was talking about the car that was parked in the Shepard's driveway. Tim's car.

"Why are we taking Tim's car? Where are we going?" Ann asked.

"I convinced Shepard to let me borrow it, while you were hittin' it off with Curly," Dally answered, with a smug look on his face.

"It wasn't like that. We were just playing around," Ann told him.

"Yeah, whatever. Well, get in. We're goin' on a... road trip."

**AN:** So, that was Chapter 5. What did you think of it? Did you like it? Well, REVIEW! NO FLAMES!


	6. Making A Sacrifice

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Well, here's chapter six! I hope you like it! Ann and Dallas go to Windrixville in this chapter. Enjoy! R&R!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Outsiders.

MAKING A SACRIFICE

After a long while of silence and listening to the radio, Dally and Ann found themselves a couple of towns away from Windrixville. It was really late , and Dallas was starting to doze off at the wheel, so they decided to rest at a Motel until the next morning. Dallas and Ann went to the office, after Dally was finally convinced that there was no way to get into a room without getting a key. Behind the counter was a dirty-looking old man with a lot of missing teeth.

"How can I help you two youngsters?" the old man asked.

"We need a room for one night," Ann said quickly, before Dallas could say something mean to the man.

"Well okay then, what size bed you want?"

"You have a room with two beds?" Ann asked hopefully.

"Nope. What size will it be?"

"King, the biggest you can get," Ann said, not wanting to have to sleep too close to Dallas.

"All rented out. I guess some other youngsters beat you to the chase, if you get my meaning," the old man said, winking at Dallas in aproval. Ann hit herself in the haed and shook her head at this.

"Look, geezer, what size beds do you got. I'd like to get in one of the beds real soon, if that's fine with you," Dallas said in an irritated tone.

"Well, I guess you want to get it done and over with quickly, huh? Lets see... All we got left is a twin size bed."

"Why couldn't you just say that in the first place?" Dallas said, getting angrier every time the man opened his mouth.

"You want the room, or what?"

"YES! We want the room!" Ann and Dally said in unison.

"Alright, alright! Here, it's Room 6. Enjoy, if you get my drift," the man said, with a mostly toothless grin. Ann shook her head once again and Dally paid the guy and got the key to their room.

Ann and Dally went to Room 6 and opened the door. The room was small with a twin size bed in the middle and nightstands with lamps on then on either side of the bed. There was only one window in the room, and it was near the door. The room was white and the curtains were aqua blue. The pillows and sheets and blankets were also aqua blue. The carpet was a tan color. In the bathroom was a small bathtub that had a shower head too. The bathroom was all light blue tile and white. All in all, the room was pretty nice. The only thing Ann disliked was the bed. It was too small. Ann really didn't want to get too close to Dallas. Not after that time in his room when his arms were around her. Ann shuddered at the thought.

Ann went into the bathroom, after Dally was finished in there, and washed her face. She wanted to take a shower, but would have to put back on the same clothes anyway. When Ann walked out of the bathroom, Dally was already in bed. He was facing the door and Ann only saw his back. He was shirtless. _God damnit! Why does he insist on being shirtless when I'm sleeping in the same bed as him?_ As Ann neared the bed, she saw that at the foot of the bad was Dally's jeans. _Oh Hell no!_

"Dallas Winston!" Ann said angerly.

"What?" Dally asked with annoyance.

"You better put back on your pants right now! Shirtless, I can deal with that. But no shirt and no pants? You better think again!"

Dallas smirked, "What if I wasn't wearing anything at all?"

Ann blushed slightly, "You better have _something _on underneath that blanket."

Dallas was still smirking. He grabbed Ann by the arm and pulled her onto the bed, and slightly on him.

He said, "Why don't you check and make sure I do."

Ann tried to get off the bed, but Dally wouldn't let her, "Dally, you are disgusting!"

Ann kept trying to get loose, which only resulted in Dally pulling her comepletely on top of him and holding her there.

"If I check, will you let go of me?"

Dallas considered this, "Yeah, I guess I could do that."

Ann sighed and slowly lifted up the blanket, afraid of what she might, or might not, see. Finally, Ann quickly glanced down there and saw white. She let out the breathe she was holding and glared daggers at Dally. "I cannot believe you! Why are you always like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like a jerk! I think we could maybe be friends, and then you go and do something like that!"

"Yeah? Well.. I'm sorry, okay?" Dally said quickly.

Ann couldn't believe what she just heard, "What?"

"I said I'm sorry. Happy now?"

Ann smiled slightly, "Yeah. I am."

"Well, don't get used to me saying that. It's a once in a life time thing, got that?"

"Yeah. Sure. G'night, Dally."

"Night, Ann."

**Ann's PoV**

I woke up the next morning and was surprised to see that I was facing Dally. He didn't look so tuff when he was sleeping. It was a nice change. He looked peaceful, carefree, and maybe even happy. But I know that, behind his closed eyelids, his blue eyes remained icy and cold. I wonder if anyone can make his eyes soften. I bet Johnny can. Johnny is like family to Dally. I don't think that Dally acts as tuff as usual when it's just him and Johnny. I smiled, imagining that one day, Dallas would be married to a wonderful wife and he would be happy. He would have children and teach them everything he knows. He might even teach them how to fight.

I chuckled as I remembered when Tim taught Angela and me how to throw a punch. I've always been a better fighter than Angie, and she hated that. Todd and Tim always thought that Angela and I would be best friends, but instead, I was very close to Curly. Curly even thought that maybe I should move in with him and Tim and Angela go live with Todd. Like a sister swap, or something. I'd known Curly and the rest of the Shepard's since I was 6. Now I'm 15, and it's like 2 or 3 years I wasn't with the Shepard's, or Todd, weren't really part of my life at all. It's like my life never really existed for those few years without my closest friends and my brother. I think Todd and Curly are the most important to me. Todd is my only brother and knew, first hand, how my parents were so lowsy and horrible.

And Curly... Curly is like another brother to me. He was always there, and I know I used his shoulder to cry on PLENTY of times. When Todd was out with some friends or a girlfriend or whoever, I'd sneak out of the house and go to the Shepard's house. The first time I did it, Tim yelled at me for going out by myself when it was so dark. So instead of going to the front door whenever I went, I knocked on Curly's window and I'd climb through. That was when Curly and I got to really talk to eachother. Share our fears, secrets, dreams, hopes... I know that it sounds kind of stupid, because we started talking about these things when we were 7 and 8, but as we grew older, what we talked about got more intense. It's like Curly and I are soulmates. We just connect so easily. Ever since the first day we met, I know we would be close...

**Regular PoV**

Ann's reminising was ended when Dally's eyes flickered open. Ann jumped slightly, startled by Dally's sudden movement. Dallas got out of bed, stretched, scratched his chest, and headed to the bathroom. When Dallas came out of the bathroom he got dressed and put on his sneakers. Ann was just staring at him, wondering how in the world someone could be able to function so quickly after waking up. Ann took at least 10 minutes before she could even move a finger. Dallas was putting on his jacket when he noticed Ann wasn't getting ready to go and was just staring at him.

"Well? What the Hell are ya waitin' for? Move your ass so we can get to where we're goin'," Dallas said, wanting to get back on the road soon.

"I'm going, I'm going," Ann told him as she slowly got out from under the covers and started stretching.

"Move it, Princess. We ain't got all day," Dallas said. He was getting impatient.

Ann quickened her pace and the two of them were out of the Motel room in minutes. Dally made Ann go give the key to Room 6 back to the old man, who kept asking if 'a certain young fellow popped a certain cherry of a certain young girl'. After that, Dallas and Ann hopped into Tim Shepard's car and were headed to Windrixville.

Once in Windrixville, Dallas and Ann headed to Jay Mountain, where the old abandoned church was located. When they finally got to the church, they searched for a way in. They looked through the boards of wood as they passed, and Ann caught a glimpse of two sleeping figures. Ann's heart seemed to lift up in her chest, and she felt so giddy. She was going to see Johnny and Ponyboy again, FINALLY. They were okay. They were fine. Ann and Dallas got into the church, making a bit of noise in the process. Pony and Johnny stirred, and when they saw Dally and Ann, they jumped to life and smiled. Ann ran over to Johnny and Ponyboy and hugged them both tightly.

"I'm so happy to see you two! I'm so glad you're okay!" Ann told them.

Ponyboy and Johnny started asking a million questions a minute. Dallas stopped them and told them everything that was going on. When he was finished, Ann remembered the letter from Sodapop. She quickly got it out of her pocket and gave it to Ponyboy. Dallas asked if Johnny and Ponyboy were hungry, and boy were they. All four of them got into Tim's car and went to the Dairy Queen. Johnny was sitting in the front passenger seat, and Ponyboy and Ann sat in the back seat. They had barbaque chicken sandwiches and this girl and her brother came over to the car. They kept asking for change, but Dallas started shouting at her, so the kids finally went away.

Then Johnny started talking about bringing himself in. He wanted to go to the fuzz and tell them how he killed the Soc to defend himself. Dallas got angry at Johnny. He kept telling Johnny that he was making a stupid choice. Dallas said that Johnny should be smart like him and that Johnny wouldn't want to end up in the cooler, that it ruins people.

When the four greasers got back to the church, it was on fire. Dallas stopped the car, and Johnny ran out and Dally started yelling for him to come back. Ponyboy and Ann ran to the church too. There were little children in the burning church, and the church was going to collapse any minute. Dallas ran after the three of them after a little more yelling. It was hard to breathe in the church. It was so hot and the flames were blinding. Ponyboy, Johnny and Ann started finding children and handing them out to Dally. The roof of the church was starting to fall apart.

They got the last kid that was in the church and strated to get themselves out. Dallas pulled Ponyboy out and threw him on the ground. A part of the roof fell near Ann and Johnny. The roof was about to fall any second. Ann pushed Johnny out of the church, because she couldn't let him get hurt. She rather let him be safe. Ann was about to climb out of the burning church, when a heavy beam fell and knocked her down. She tried to get back up, but the beam was on her left leg. She tried to roll it off, but it was too heavy, and flames were starting to burn her. Ann started screaming, "DALLY! HELP!" and then she screamed in pain as the flames scorched her. Dallas climbed into the church and pushed the beam off of Ann's leg. Ann tried to stand, but the pain in her leg was brutal. Ann leaned on Dally and they both jumped out of the church. Not even a second later, the church collapsed. That was when Ann blacked out.

**AN: **What did you think of this chapter? I hope you liked it! I think this may be the longest chapter in this story! Whoo-hoo! Review!


	7. Hospitals, Nightmares & Surprises

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Hello readers! Here's another chapter! I will be updating for this story every possible chance I get for now on, because I have a few more stories coming. I want to get this done first, because it is the only Outsiders story I will be doing for quite awhile. Sorry. I will be focusing on Harry Potter after I finish this story. Look at my profile for more info on my stories, if you want. okay, here's Chapter 7! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Outsiders... Though it would be nice to own Dally... Yes, very nice.. ((drools))

HOSPITALS, NIGHTMARES, AND SURPRISES

_Ann was surrounded by flames. She could feel the smoke filling her lungs. It was hard for her to see anything. She tried to figure out where she was. Was she in the burning church? She ran into another room, trying to find the exit, trying to find saftey. She looked around the room she had just entered and she saw a figure lying on a couch. She neared the figure. Ann gasped when she realized who the person was._

_"Dad?" Ann shook her father. She was in her house. The day it burned down. She had to save her parents. She kept shaking her father, but he wouldn't wake up. She started screaming and screaming for him to wake up, but to no avail. She temporarily gave up on waking her dad and ran into her parent's room. There she saw her mother resting on her side of the bed. Ann tried to wake her mom, but it wasn't working. Why wouldn't they wake up? Didn't they hear Ann's screaming? Didn't they smell the smoke or feel the heat from the flames? _

_Ann ran back to her father and tried him again, but he still did not move. Ann then checked his pulse. He didn't have one. Ann didn't believe that. She put her ear against his chest. She heard no heart beat. She then put her ear near his mouth. No breathing came. Ann started crying, but ran back to her mom. She did the same to her mother, and got the same results. Ann kept sobbing and shaking her head, not willing to believe that they were dead. _

_Even though the flames were spreading, Ann stayed crying at her mothers lifeless body. She wouldn't leave them. Ann was feeling woozy, she felt weak and didn't have the energy to move. All she could do now was sit there and cry. There was a crash, like glass breaking, and voice yelling Ann's name. Ann knew that voice. But what was Dallas doing there, in her burning house? Ann called for Dally, and he came running to her._

_"What the Hell are you doing in here? Don't you know the God damned place is burning down? We gotta get outa here, now!" Dally said urgently._

_"No, my parents are here. I can't leave them. I just can't!"_

_"You have to leave them, or we're gunna end up dead! They're gone Ann. They're not comin back. Nothin's gunna change that. We have to save ourselves!"_

_Dallas grabbed Ann and pulled her to the living room. She struggled, but Dally managed to get her out of the window he had broken. Ann fell onto the ground in a coughing heap. She was too weak to move a musule, so she just laid there, weak and coughing. Then, out of nowhere, her home completely collapsed. She stared wide-eyed at the sight. Where was Dally? Did he get out? He was still in there! He was still in there! He was crushed!_

_Ann started to sceam, "DALLY! NOOO! DALLY! COME OUT! COME OUT! DALLY!"_

_He never came out._

_He was dead._

_Just like Ann's parents._

_And it was Ann's fault._

Ann shot up straight in her hospital bed and yelled, "DALLY!"

Dally jumped slightly and, with a tone of annoyance, said, "I'm right here! Ya don't have to yell! Now whadda ya want?"

Ann was breathing heavily. She looked around and saw that she was still in the hospital, as she had been for two days. She saw that the whole gang was there, in her room, visiting her. This was the first time they had all come. Even Darry was there.

"How long have you been here? Why didn't you wake me?" Ann asked the group of boys.

"Long 'nuff to know you were dreamin' bout ol' Dal here," Two-Bit said with a wacky grin.

"Yeah, he was in my dream, I mean nightmare. But it doesn't really matter," Ann told them, not wanting to go through that horrible nightmare again.

"Shoot, I'd be scared too, if Dally turned up in my dream. What a scary sight!" Two-Bit said, cracking up at his own joke, but stopping when Dallas glarred at him.

"Do you guys know when I'll be getting outa here? I don't think I'll last another day having to eat the so-called jello they've been feeding me. I don't know what that stuff is, but it sure as Hell ain't no kinda jello I've ever tasted," Ann told them.

Darry gave Ann a warning look, and then said, "Well, the doctor wouldn't tell us much, but he basically said that you have a broken leg and that you won't be here too much longer. But you're gunna have to wear that cast for quite a while, lil lady."

Ann made a sound of frustration, "I guess I can deal. Just as long as I'm outa here fast."

They all talked for a while, then Steve, Darry, and Sodapop left for work. Johnny and Ponyboy left awhile after that, and then it was just Two-Bit, Dally, and Ann left in the hospital room.

Then the door opened and in waltzed a man in a brown suit and with a brief case in hand. Ann didn't like the looks of this guy, and neither did Dally or Two-Bit.

"Who're You?" Dally asked.

"I'm from the girl's home. I'm here to inform Miss Mele that when the hospital releases her, she will be coming with me to the home."

Ann was shocked, "What? No! I can't go! I'm staying right here in Tulsa! I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Miss Mele, I'm authorized to take you into the girl's home. It states on the police report that you have no family members that will take up in."

As if on cue, the door opened once again and in came Tim, Curly, Angela, and another person. Ann's heart stopped when she saw this person.

"Todd? TODD!"

Her brother ran to her side and hugged her tightly, "Ann, It's been so long."

**AN: **Okay, R&R! Find out more about Todd's sudden apperance in next chappy!


	8. That's What Big Brothers Are For

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: **Oki doki! This is the 8th chapter of **WHYBAML**! Whoo-hoo. The story is coming to an end, and I have to admit that I'm gonna miss writing about the Outsiders. but I will, eventually, write another story about our favorite gang. If you have no clue what I'm talking about or why I'm not going to write another Ousiders story for awhile, then just go to my profile. It is all explained there. Well, on with Chapter 8!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. All I have is Ann, Todd, and their parents. And the guy in the suit. But that's basically it.

WHAT BIG BROTHERS ARE FOR

Ann could not believe what was happening. Todd was back! Her brother was here, and when she needed him the most. Not only because she had no family besides him, but because the guy in the suit wanted to take Ann away. Said guy cleared his throat to get everybody to pay attention to him. Everyone ignored him, thinking that maybe he would just forget it and go away. He didn't.

"Excuse me, but I have some things to talk over with Miss Mele. so if you would all just wait outside--" the man was cut off by Tim.

"You wanna talk to Ann, then your just gunna have to deal with us, cuz we ain't going nowhere," Tim gave the man a dangerous look.

The man fiddled with his tie. "Okay then. Well, as I was saying before, you will be coming to the girls home as soon as the hospital lets you out and--"

This time the man was cut off by Todd and Curly, who said with matching alarmed faces, "What?"

Two-Bit chucked, "Get a load of this dumby. What's with the suit? He looks like a walking turd in that suit. And he ain't got much sense either. Thinks Ann's gunna go to a girls home. Ha!"

The man loosened his tie and gulped, "I'm authorized to take her in. She has no family and is forced to go to the girls home by law. I--"

Todd stopped theman once again, "What do ya mean she has no family? Who the Hell told you that bullshit? I'm her big brother and I'm gunna take care of Ann. That's final! Now get the fuck outa here!"

The man looked nervous, "I'm only doing my job and I can't just--"

Dally shot out of his seat and yelled at the guy, "You heard him! Get lost!"

The man started to quickly head out the door. He turned around, but only to be shouted at by Two-Bit, "Beat it Blondie! You ain't wanted here!"

That's when the man wimpered and ran out the room. Everyone was quiet, until Ann started laughing. Nobody was quite sure what she was laughing about.

In between laughs, Ann said, "Two-Bit, I think... I think that was the first time you ever... Ever told a blonde to get away from you."

Two-Bit grinned and said, "He wasn't really my type."

Everyone laughed some, and then Ann turned to Todd.

"What are you doing in Tulsa? When'd ya get here?" Ann asked.

"Well, I got your letter, and as soon as I could, I hopped on a few trains and made my way back home. And I just got to the Shepard's house a few hours ago. I wasn't sure were you were staying, so I thought I should start with them. Then they told me all about the burning church and showed me the article in the newspaper. I couldn't believe my eyes! My little sister, a hero!" Todd said with joy.

"I have a broken leg from a beam falling on it. I think I'm gunna get out of here soon. Todd, can you go and ask them all the specifics? They won't tell anybody anything important. Only family. They won't even tell me anything!" Ann told him.

Todd smiled and left the room to go ask a doctor questions. Angela stepped foward and looked Ann up and down.

"It's been awhile, Ann," She said.

"Yup. It sure has been, Angie."

"Well, don't think we're friends, cuz we aren't."

"That thought never crossed my mind, Angela."

Angela glared at Ann, becasue Ann had won one of Angela's little competitions. Angela used to always try to get the last word. That was only one little game though. Angela would always try to make anything and everything between herself and Ann a competition. It was slightly pathetic, but Ann enjoyed beating Angie at her own games. It was amusing for her. And Angela was still doing it, 2 years later.

Todd came back into the hospital room a few minutes later. He said that the doctor told him Ann would be out of the hospital in 3 days. She would have to go back to the hospital in a month so the doctor can check how her left and broken leg was doing. One thing Ann knew was that she would be drinking ALOT of milk until then.

The other thing she knew was that Todd was back and that he saved her from losing all her friends, new and old. _I guess that's what big brothers are for._

**AN:** Yeah.. That's it for now. Ann will be out of the hospital in the next chapter. REVIEW! ... Please?


	9. Moving In Or Moving Out?

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: I think the real question here is where the hell have I been since the last time I updated, right? Well it's a rather simple answer. School. High School. Too much hw. Not enough computer time. But it's teh week end and I'm FINALLY going to update! Whoo-hoo!**

**Disclaimer: Hmmmm... It's not mine. The Outsiders is NOT mine. But I have this story on fictionpress that IS mine. PM me if ya wanna check it out. It's a romance. Kinda fluffy. **

Moving In Or Moving Out?

A few days later, Ann was released from the prison.. err, hospital rather. Ann considered it a prison because of the food. And the fact that you could barely use the bathroom without someone trying to help you do your business. She was more than overjoyed to be out of that place. She used her crutches to walk out of her room, out of the lobby, and out of the front doors. She had Curly and Tim with her. They got in Tim's car and went over to Buck's place, to Ann's room.

When Ann entered her room, she nearly had a heart attack. There, in HER bed, was a couple of greasers doing a couple of unspeakable things. They were doing IT! Yes, IT! In HER bed! In HER room! Ann let out a screech and then started yelling at the girl with tons of smeared red lipstick and black eyeliner on her face, and the guy, who had really greasy hair and whose butt was very visable from where Ann and the two Shepards were standing.

The girl and guy covered themselves when they heard Ann's screaming and realized that they no longer had any privacy. Ann continued to yell at them for being in her room and doing the things they were doing in her bed. After a few more minutes of Ann's yelling, the guy jumped out of the bed and the covers slipped from his body.

Ann's eyes widened and were quickly covered by both Tim and Curly's hands. The very revealed guy started yelling at the three of them about how it was HIS room, and they had better get out of HIS room, before he had to hurt them. Tim and the guy started shoving each other, but then it was ended by Curly and Ann begging Tim to back off and leave with them. Once they left the room, Ann let out a deep breathe.

"So... Why the Hell don't I have a room?" Ann asked with anger.

"Well, I't was gunna be a surprise. We had no clue someone would be in there already..." Curly trailed off into thought.

"What do you mean? What kind of surprise is it to find out you have no place to crash?" Ann asked with utter confusion. _What is with me mistaking my room for other people's room's? Well, that really USED to be my room... right? _Ann quickly looked to the number on the door. _Yup. That WAS my room._

"Come on. When we get back to my house, you'll get it," Tim told her. And then they left Bucks and got back in the car.

At the Shepard's house, Curly helped Ann get out of the car, and Ann hobbled to the front door. When inside, Curly told Ann that the surprise was in his room. Ann was still clueless as to what kind of surprise this was, but went to the room anyway. In Curly's room, everything seemed normal.

"Okay... I still don't get this surprise," Ann told him.

"Open the first draw in the dresser," Curly told her with a smile.

Ann looked at him like he was insane, wondering if the surprise was that Curly folded his clothes. Ann went over to the dresser and opened the first draw. She gasped when she saw what was in it. There, in the first draw of Curly's dresser, was all the clothing that Ann owned. Ann felt her eyes moisten and let in a sharp breath.

Curly rushed over to her and asked what was wrong. Ann dropped her crutches and hugged Curly tightly. She started to loose her balance and fell on the bed, still clinging to Curly. Ann was now full-out bawling in Curly's arms. They weren't tears of pain and sarrow. They were tears of joy and happiness. She couldn't even begin to explain how much this ment to her. Now she and Todd could live with the Shepards and they could be one big family. And Ann would finally have a place to call home and actually felt like home. Ann was so happy, that all she could do was keep crying. And Curly let her. Because he knew why she cried and he knew that he needed her to get it all out. So he just laid on the bed and hugged Ann close to him.

After Ann was completely finished with the crying and hugging, she went into the kitchen and saw Todd sitting at the table and eating a sandwich. She smiled and hugged Todd from behind.

"I love being here. I love having you here with me too," She told him.

"Well, don't get too cozy here. We'll be gone in just a week," he told her.

"What? What do you mean? Aren't we gunna stay here?" Ann asked. Now Ann was, once again, utterly confused by the situation.

"Of course not. I'm taking you to New York with me. And you'll get to finally meet your sister-in-law and nephew."

"Woah. Just wait one second. You got married?"

"Yep. Last year. Her name is Julie. And we have a son. His name is Jack. He has the same eyes as you. And the same eys as Dad."

"Why didn't you ever tell me? A YEAR ago and you never found time to call or write?"

"We were so busy with the baby and everything. I wanted you to see them in person first."

"And what the Hell do you mean? Since when am I leaving Tulsa? I can't leave! Everything is here! Everyone is here!"

"Well, I won't be here. I have a family, Ann. I have a home in New York. I can't just leave everything behind and stay here with you."

"You left me behind. You left me behind when you decided to run away to New York. You didn't even care about me. You left me with Mom and Dad. You left me with them when I needed you," Ann was now sobbing. She didn't even know that she could cry this much in one day. But that didn't matter right now.

"I was stupid then. Now I'm bringing you with me. We can live together and it will be like old times."

"No it won't. It will never be like old times again. you ruined that by leaving. And now you even have a family. You aren't the Todd I used to know. The Todd I used to know would have stayed in contact with me. The Todd I used to know would care about me more. He would have probably never ever left in the first place!" Ann yelled at Todd between sobs.

"I left because I had no future in this town! I had nothing! There was no purpose in my life when I lived here with Mom and Dad. There was Nothing to live for, nothing to care about. This place was making me insane! I had to get outa here and actually find something to care about! And I found that in New York! Julie and Jack are my purpose in life!" Todd yelled back at Ann.

Ann was both shocked and heart-broken. That was the first time Todd ever yelled at her. And his words were even crueler than his tone. Ann pulled herself together for just a minute and managed to say, despite her shaky voice and quivering lip, "You did have something. You had me. But I guess you never even cared about me. I was just the kid sister taht followed you around. All I ever meant to you was dirt. You never even cared."

Ann quickly went back into Curly's room and laid on the bed. She started breathing heavily and sobbed. Curly was in the shower, and Ann didn't want to be alone. She climbed through the window, which was hard to do with a broken leg, and made her way to the Curtis House. It was dark out, and she luckily didn't have anyone bother her on her way. Ann struggled up the steps of their home, and then walked through the door without bothering to knock. When she entered the living room, everyone looked at her in bewilderment. This was probably for five reasons: It was dark; She was alone; She had come alone in the dark with a broken leg; She had no jacket on, when it was really cold out; And she was crying.

Ann flopped onto the couch and started crying into a pillow. All of the guys came over to comfort her. She told them how Todd wanted her to go and how she meant nothing to him. They all assured her that he cared about her, but nobody said anything about her moving to New York with him. They didn't say anything because they knew they couldn't stop it from happening. They knew that it was going to happen.

**AN: yeah. That's it for now. I will not update until I have at least 5 reviews for this chapter! Yes, 5! More than 5 would be absolutely lovely, but I won't update until I see taht magic number. hehehe. Bribery. ... Review!**


	10. Can't Live Without You

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: Here's chapter 10. Just to warn you all, there will only be one chapter after this. And then it's over. .:sniffle:. Yes, this story is coming to an end, but it will be missed... by me, at least. In the last chapter, we will FINALLY find out who Ann is meant to be with. Please tell me who you think she should end up with in and why. I'd really like to know. I'm still debating who she will end up with, so maybe one of you can pull me towards one of the guys. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders... DUH! lol.**

Can't Live Without You

Ann had spent all of her last week in Tulsa with the gang and the Shepards. They never really talked about Ann leaving, they just tried to have as much fun as possible and make Ann smile and laugh. Ann did smile and laugh, but inside she was hurt. She was leaving everything, her new life, to go to New York and live with Todd and his family. Ann couldn't bare leaving everybody behind.

The morning of the day that Ann was due to leave had arrived. Ann woke up and hugged Curly's sleeping body. It was killing her that after she had just been reunited with her soul mate, she was about to be forced to leave him, and all the others, behind. She might never see any of them ever again. This thought made her even more depressed. She felt tears freely fall from her eyes. She didn't make a sound, she just laid there in bed and hugged Curly's still sleeping body. She kissed his bare shoulder and thought about all the memories she had with Curly, Tim, and Angela.

Then she started thinking about how that day, when her parents died, had been the worst and best day of her life. She had lost everything. Her clothes, her belongings, and the two people who raised her from the beginning. Even if her parents were not as loving as they had been in Ann's early childhood, she still loved them. They taught her to love, to cherish what she had, and to always, no matter what, love her family. Her parents had gone against everything that they had taught Ann, when Uncle Ed died, but that just meant that they hadn't been strong enough. They weren't strong enough to stick by what they lived for, and they slowly started to die. They had died before that day Ann's house burned down. They died years before that. They were gone that day the phone rang and they found out their brother and best friend, had been killed.

But on that day when Ann had lost her life, she was given a second chance. She didn't just fade away like her parents. She started over in life, with help from Ponyboy, Johnny, Darry, Sodapop, Steve, Two-Bit, and Dallas. They helped her get on with life. They helped her live. Whether they knew it or not, those greaser boys helped show Ann that live was worth living, no matter how horroble it seemed at times. Ann didn't think that she could have ever made it without their help. Ann liked her new life. It was filled with more happiness, more joy. More love. She couldn't just leave all of that behind to go live a life that was not hers.

Later that day, around 1:00 that afternoon, it was time for Ann to go. All the guys were there to say good bye. Well, Dally wasn't there yet, but the guys said he would come. They, one by one, came up to Ann and gave her a hug.

"You stay out of trouble in New York. And stay in school," Darry told her, as he bent down to hug her.

She laughed and said, "Don't worry, Darr, I will."

Next, Steve gave her a brief hug and said, "One day, when you have a real tuff car, come back here and show it off to all of us greasers."

"Oh, I will. Don't you worry about that," Ann said with a confident smile. Sodapop came over next.

"I'll miss you, Ann. I'll miss you're big, bright smile. Don't ever lose that smile," he said as he gave her a bear hug.

Ann felt the tears coming once again, "I'll miss you too. Never stop being happy. Stay happy forever and ever, no matter what. You just aren't Soda without being happy."

Two-Bit threw his arms around Ann and said, "I wish you didn't have to leave. I'm gunna miss joking around with you all the time. It's gunna feel kinda wierd with you gone. It'll me like a part of us is missing."

"I'll never ever forget you Two-Bit Matthews. You are one of a kind. I will never ever meet anyone remotely close to being like you."

Ponyboy came over and hugged Ann, "I'll miss you. I'll never forget that first day, when Johnny and I found you. That day changed all our lives."

"I'll never froget that day either. It was one of the best days of my life. You two saved me that day, and I'll never forget that."

Johnny came over and shyly said, "You've been through a lot, but now you get to be with your brother, so you'll be okay now. He'll take care of you. You belong with him."

Ann hugged him tightly and said, "Oh Johnny, I belong right here. I belong in Tulsa with you guys. You guys are my life, and I feel broken having to leave all of you. I'll never feel the same."

Tim came to Ann next and gave her a big hug, "I'm gunna miss ya, Little Ann. You better came and visit us."

"I'll miss you too, Tim. You were always like another big brother to me."

Angela came over and said, "Well, I guess I won't be seeing you around much anymore."

"No you won't. You win Angie," Ann told her, patting her back, "And it sure took ya long enough."

Angela glared at Ann, but said no more. It was now time to say good bye to Curly.

"You are my best friend, Curly. You mean the world to me. You've always been there for me, and I don't know what I'll do without you."

Curly hugged her tightly and said, "You're everything to me Ann. We grew up together. We did everything together. I don't want you to leave. We'll never be the same as we used to if you leave. It's just too much time apart. I can't stand having to watch you leave like this. You should stay here with us. You can't go."

Ann held on to Curly for a long time. Todd cleared his throat and that meant it was time to go. Ann took another look at the guys. Dallas hadn't showed up. He would never say good bye to Ann. Maybe that would be better, like there was no good bye and Ann never left.

Ann smiled and wiped away her tears, "You guys are my world. You guys are what I live for. You helped me so much when I was left with nothing. I love you all. I could never possably forget any of you. I will miss you more than anything. It's so so hard for me to just leave..."

All of them came to Ann and they had a group hug. Almost everyone now had shiny eyes and quivering lips. Tim was now going to drive them to the train station. Tim and Todd got in the front of teh car, and Ann sat in the back. She looked out of the rear window and watched the gang. They all stayed in their spots and watched her go. The distance between them slowly grew. Ann was about to turn away, but then she saw...

**AN: OMG! CLIFFY! Next chapter is the end! Then it will all be over... Review! Oh.. And I didn't get 5 reviews for the last chapter, but I hope I'll get at least 4 reviews this time. Come on people, REVIEW! Or else the ending will suck ass. **


	11. Where Have You Been?

**Where Have You Been All My Life?**

**AN: Oh man, I'm sad about this ending! I'm gunna miss writing this. I won't be writing another Outsiders fic for a while. But I do know what I'll be writing about! ... I hope I don't forget... Well, here is the last chapter of WHYBAML. Enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders. sniffle**

Where Have You Been?

_Recap:_

_All of them came to Ann and they had a group hug. Almost everyone now had shiny eyes and quivering lips. Tim was now going to drive them to the train station. Tim and Todd got in the front of teh car, and Ann sat in the back. She looked out of the rear window and watched the gang. They all stayed in their spots and watched her go. The distance between them slowly grew. Ann was about to turn away, but then she saw..._

Ann saw Dallas Winston running after the car. He was yelling, "STOP! STOP THE CAR!"

Ann started screeching at Tim and Tood, "You heard him! Stop!"

Tim stopped the car and Ann opened the car door and struggled getting out. _Stupid cast! _ Ann was pulled out of the car by Dally. She embraced him in a hug, and he did the same. Ann was so happy that she had gotten to say good bye to him, because now she knew what she had to do.

Ann looked up at Dally and said, "Dally.. I.. I.."

Dally cut her off. He bent and whispered in her ear, "I.. Well, I love you Ann. I just couldn't let you leave before I got to tell you."

Ann felt her heart burst with joy. She smiled and hugged Dallas tightly, "I love you too."

Dally looked over his shoulder at the gang and said, "Listen, lets not make too big of a deal outa this. Do you know what this will do to my reputation if the guys find out?"

Ann shook her head and smiled, "Not such a tuff guy, huh?"

Dally smirked and discreetly kissed her cheek, "Not around you I ain't."

Ann was so happy that she had Dallas. She knew she felt differntly for him from the beginning, but it wasn't until that moment, when she saw him running after her, that she knew what that feeling was. Ann wished that she had known what those feelings were before. Maybe she could have spent more time with Dally. But now she was leaving. She would have to leave Dallas, right when they admitted their feelings.

Todd got out of the car and sighed, "I can't make you live with me. You don't belong in New York. You belong here with everyone else."

Ann looked at Todd with surprise," What? I'm staying? I'm staying?"

"Yes, you're staying."

Ann looked at Dallas, and then started screaming with joy. She tryied jumping up and down, but that only resulted in her almost falling and Dally catching her. But she was still happy. She yelled over to the guys, "HEY! I'M STAYING! I'M STAYING!"

They all looked at each other and then ran over to the car, shouting and howling like crazy. Everyone was so happy at that moment, laughing and smiling and shouting for joy. It was the most amazing moment Ann had ever experienced.

Ann looked over at Todd and smiled, "Thank you Todd. I know that you care."

Todd came over and hugged Ann long and hard. Ann knew that he had his own life. She had her own life too. Ann knew that if she went to New York, she would be unhappy, and if Todd stayed in Tulsa, he'd be unhappy too. They had their own seperate lives, but they still cared about each other.

"Hey Dal, where have you been?" Two-Bit asked.

"Yeah, you nearly lost Ann," Johnny said.

"Where have I been? Well, I've been waiting for the right moment," Dallas told them, as he gazed into Ann's eyes.

Two-Bit and Johnny looked at each other.

"Did we miss something?" Two-Bit asked.

"Nah man. We weren't missing anything. They were. And now they found it," Johnny told him with a smile.

_The End_

**AN: That's it! It's all over! Did you like it? Please tell me what you thought of it! Review, please!**


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